EXCLUSIVE – PICTURED: Suspended Prince George County cop Francesco Marlett caught on camera making out with scantily-clad woman before getting into back of patrol car was awarded Medal of Valor

A suspended police officer who was caught on camera making out with his alleged mistress on duty can be photographed for the first time.

DailyMail.com can reveal that Francesco Marlett was awarded a 2021 Bronze Medal of Valor by the Prince George County Police Department – for which officers have put themselves at “unusual personal risk.”

Footage of 34-year-old Marlett went viral after he was caught on camera making out with a scantily clad woman before climbing into the back of his cruiser.

His estranged wife, Paula, 29, has since claimed he had been having an affair for ‘years’ and that the footage showed it as his ‘mistress’ with him.

It’s unclear what Marlett did to get the medal in 2021, but the officer has since been suspended for his actions in the back of the car – his third on the force.

The officer was unmasked on Tuesday, with PGPD confirming he had been suspended pending an investigation by the department.

Paula launched a scathing attack on her husband on social media, portraying him as a cop in the footage.

She claimed he cheated on her for “years,” saying his mistress Virginia Pinto had been dumped by her partner because of her own illegal affairs.

The mother-of-three reposted the images with the caption, “There go my husband and his mistress.”

When a friend asks if she’s okay, Paula replies, “I’m not okay.” It keeps popping up on my goddamn news feed and I keep having to rewatch it.”

In a Facebook post Tuesday, Paula said this was “a very difficult time” for her and her three children.

She concluded her post by saying, “I love you all. Except Virginia Pinto, you can rot in hell, b****.”

The two women have become embroiled in a social media battle, with Pinto hitting back, saying she had “done nothing wrong.”

In a cheeky response, she said, “Paula Marlett isn’t telling the whole story I understand, but please don’t be mad at me because your husband wants me.”

Pinto, who also has three children, is a US Army veteran, according to her social media, though it’s unclear how she met Marlett.

Marlett has been suspended three times since leaving the academy in 2014.

The first was in 2016, when he was suspended without pay after being accused of child molestation.

He was accused of knocking his then-girlfriend’s three-year-old boy unconscious while off duty at his home in December 2015.

Prosecutors at the time alleged that on Dec. 27, he watched his girlfriend’s three-year-old son while she was preparing dinner and began beating her son after he defiled the bed.

While beating the child, the boy’s head hit the wall and he lost consciousness, prosecutors claimed.

Angela D. Alsobrooks, then-Prince George’s County District Attorney, said in the statement at the time, “There is no excuse for Officer Marlett’s actions.”

“Whatever happened, beating a defenseless child and causing injuries like this is never acceptable.”

Marlett, who has been on the force for ten years, dropped the charges and dropped them, allowing him to return to work with the Bureau of Patrol.

The disgraced officer was suspended for a month in May 2023 after being charged with domestic violence, but returned to service in June.

PGPD said in a statement on Tuesday: “The agent has been identified. His police powers have now been suspended as the investigation continues.”

“As soon as we became aware of this earlier today, we have opened an investigation to determine the circumstances.

“Additional information will be released once it has been investigated and confirmed.”

His latest suspension comes after the shocking video showed the uniformed officer kissing his scantily clad mistress in a park and then climbing into the back of his cruiser with her.

The video first shows the couple kissing, while the woman touches the officer’s head. The woman then walks to the back of the car, with the officer’s arm around her.

DailyMail.com was unable to contact Marlett for comment on the investigation and suspension.

Prince George’s County Police Union boss Angelo Consoli confirmed that the union was aware of the video and that police are investigating.

“We support our agents during any investigation and ask people to reserve their judgment until the facts come to light,” Consoli said. “At that time we will reevaluate our position.”

Nelson Ochoa told WRC-TV that he filmed the now-viral video on Labor Day when he was playing soccer with his family at Southlawn Park in Oxon Hill.

“As soon as I started recording, a car stopped and a young lady came out,” Ochoa said.

“We couldn’t believe what we were seeing, and what really made us think, ‘Wow, this is crazy,’ was when the car started rocking a little bit to the left and right.

“Then we thought, this is crazy. In broad daylight with children around.’

Ochoa said Marlett and the woman drove off in opposite directions about 40 minutes after the connection began.

“I’m glad I captured it on camera so Prince George can see what kind of cops they have in front of them and supposedly protecting the community,” he said.